Wilkerson Brakes Records as the Hoosiers Run Away from the Nittany Lions 

By Nick Jenkinson/Excel H Sports

    The Indiana Hoosiers gave Head Coach Darian DeVries his first Big Ten Win as the Hoosiers cruised over the Penn State Nittany Lions 113-72 Tuesday Night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Indiana is 8-2 overall and snaps a two-game losing streak and 1-1 in the Big Ten and will travel to Kentucky on Saturday evening at 7:30 PM. Penn State drops to 8-2 overall ending a three-game winning streak and 0-1 in the Big Ten and will host Michigan State on Saturday at Noon.

   Lamar Wilkerson scored a career high 44 points as the Senior from Ashdown, Arkansas went 16-22 from the field 2-2 from the free throw line and 10-15 from beyond the arc to set a new school record for most three pointers in a single game. Wilkerson breaks the previous record by three other Hoosiers. Roderick Wilmont on February 28, 2007, at Northwestern, Matt Roth January 31,2009 against Ohio State and Robert Johnson at Iowa on February 17, 2018.

    The 44 points are tied for the 8th most in single game in school history sharing the mark with Jimmy Rayl who did it twice against Wisconsin on February 12, 1962, and at Michigan State on January 5th, 1963. Wilkerson set the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Record that was held by Trayce Jackson-Davis who scored 43 points against Marshall in 2021. Wilkerson pervious career high came when he was Sam Houston State scoring 32 points against New Mexico State on March 8, 2025.

   Reed Bailey scored 18 points off the bench, Tayton Conerway added 17 points, Nick Dorn scored 13 points and Tucker DeVries added 12 points. Indiana finished 42-61 form the field for 69%, 17-31 from three-point range for 54% and 12-15 from the free throw line 80%. Indiana pulled down 28 rebounds, dished out 30 assists, 8 steals, 1 block and 10 turnovers.

   Kayden Mingo led the Nittany Lions with 19 points, Freddie Dillione V added 14 points, and Melih Tunca added 11 points. Penn State finished 26-56 for 46% from the field, 5-16 from three-point range for 31% and 15-22 from the free throw line. Penn State pulled down 21 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, no blocks and 14 turnovers.

   Penn State scored 45 seconds into the game a drive to the basket by Freshman Kayden Mingo Indiana took the lead 15 seconds later when Lamar Wilkerson drained a three pointer and then drained a second one 31 seconds later to give the Hoosiers a 6-2 lead. Penn State got within one when Melih Tunca hit a three pointer to make it 6-5 with 18 minutes left in the first half. Indiana took control as Lamar Wilkerson drained third three pointer and Tayton Conerway hit a triple as the Hoosiers scored their first 12 points of the game hitting from beyond the arc and never looked back.

   Wilkerson was on fire has he scored 20 first half points hitting 4-6 from downtown and 8-11 from the field. Reed Bailey who came in off the bench added 13 first half points going 4-4 from the field and 5-5 from the free throw line as Sam Alexis started in place of Bailey for the first time this season. Alexis struggled in the first half playing 9 minutes with no shot attempts one rebound, one assist and 2 fouls. Tayton Conerway scored 12 points hitting two three pointers and going 5-6 from the field with 6 assists.

  The Hoosiers led 58-26 at halftime Indiana was 23-34 from the field, 7-15 from three-point range for 46% and 5-5 from the free throw line. Indiana pulled down 15 rebounds, dished out 16 assists, 7 steals, a block and 4 turnovers.

  Freshman Kayden Mingo had 10 points at the half as the Nittany Lions were 9-27 from the field for 33%, 2-8 from downtown for 25% and 6-9 from the free throw line for 66%. Penn State had 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, no blocks and 11 turnovers.

  The Hoosiers lead the All-Time Series 46-17 and have won four in a row and seven of the last eight meetings in Bloomington. The Hoosiers scored the most points in a game against the Nittany Lions and third in series history with all three coming at home 105-57 on January 9, 1993, and 110-102 in three overtimes on February 1, 2017.

    This was the fourth game this season that Indiana has scored 100 points or more in game. The 113 points are the most since Indiana beat Alcorn State 112-70 on November 30, 2015. The Hoosiers were on a roll tonight and Lamar Wilkerson had a game for the record books and after the game he gave all the credit to his teammates and Head Coach Darian DeVries said it was” Fun to watch and see Lamar get loose”. Indiana now heads to Rupp Arena in Lexington for the first time since 2010 and the first regular season matchup when Christian Watford hit the buzzer beater to beat the number 1 Wildcats on December 10, 2011, in Bloomington.

      The Hoosiers responded after two games away from home after a tough two game stretch away from Simon Skojdt Assembly Hall. Indiana is 7-0 at home this season and to have a chance to build momentum and renew an old rivalry against the Kentucky Wildcats.